Five released as jail fills

Five female inmates were released early from the Lenawee County Jail last month due to overcrowding, reported the Lenawee County Sheriff's Department.

The overall jail population remained below its capacity of 287. But the women's cell blocks had crowding problems, and judges approved cutting the sentences of five inmates, said Undersheriff James Anderson.

"We're trying to work out a trade with Jackson County to increase our ability to hold female inmates, but last month we had five released early," Anderson said.

Early releases were last used in the jail in 2010 when 11 female inmates were released before exchanges were made with Jackson County.